It's Friday

I've made it through another week.  The weeks immediately following the winter holiday break just seem to last forever.  It's almost painful in and of itself.  The kids don't seem any happier about having to get back to the grind than we do.  Ah well, we're that much closer to spring break and summer. 

I was going to title this post Bone Shattering but I thought it might scare anyone who reads this.  The last two days have taught me just what bone shattering means.  Just about every step I take causes pain in my feet that feels just that, bone shattering.  If feels like something is inside my feet and it explodes causing my bones to shatter.  Needless to say I'm trying to stay off my feet as much as possible.  The left foot is clearly worse than the right so I'm going to try my cane this weekend and see if that helps.  Thank heaven I use a computer in my teaching so when I stay put and type everything onto the screen at the front of my room no one blinks.  If they only knew that coming to answer an individual question causes me to want to cry.  I'm glad I love what I do.  It's definitely getting me through the day. 

There's a blog that I read regularly about a little girl who is related to a friend of mine.  She's going to turn 5 the week after next.  She has a very ugly form of brain cancer.  She's been fighting this disease for 33 months now.  While there are many things she can't do now, including talk, eat (without the aid of a feeding tube) and walk, among other things, she's still the strongest person I've ever known.  She communicates with her eyes.  She still shows emotion.  She still loves her parents who are also unbelievably strong.  She loves her little brother (who thankfully is healthy).  I may feel absolutely rotten many days but then I think about this very special little girl and I know I can get through because her family and she are making it through.  She's an inspiration to me.  I wonder what this incredible almost 5 year old would think if she knew how much strength she gives to me just by continuing to live each day.